PHYS 3305ModernPhysics

Prof. S. SekulaCourse syllabusFALL 2019

PHYS 3305ModernPhysics

by

Prof. S. SekulaCourse Syllabus

SPRING 2019

“The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think, he[Einstein] said.”

— Walter Isaacson, “Einstein: His Life and Universe,” 2007

An electronic version of this document is available athttps://www.physics.smu.edu/sekula/phys3305/syllabus.pdf.

Preface

I am very pleased to be teaching Modern Physics (PHYS 3305) in Fall 2019. I foster an active learningenvironment, in which students take direct ownership of the learning process. You will be immersedin physics learning: outside the classroom in readings, videos, and problem-solving; inside the class-room by learning how to setup and solve problems and engagement in the principles and implicationsof physics through experience with physical phenomena and inquiry-based learning, both at the indi-vidual and the group level. I am very excited to bring the concept of the “Grand Challenge Problem” tothis course: an open-ended, non-textbook problem that you will work to solve throughout the semester,culminating in a final project presentation. I look forward to an incredible semester with all of you!

Prof. S. SekulaDallas, March 2019

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Contents

1 The University and Learning Context 11.1 University Curriculum Student Learning Outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2 Goals of this Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Specifics of this Course 32.1 Course Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.2 Course Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2.2.1 Approximate Sequence of Topics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.3 Assessment Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.3.1 The Rhythm of the Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.3.2 Attendance and Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.3.3 Quizzes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.3.4 Homework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.3.5 Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.3.6 The Grand Challenge Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.4 Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3 University Policies 133.1 University Honor Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133.2 Disability Accommodations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133.3 University Policy on Religious Observance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133.4 Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

A Appendix 15A.1 Homework and Written Materials Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

A.1.1 Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15A.1.2 Solutions and Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A.1.3 Academic Honesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17A.1.4 Advice for Writing Good Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

B Professional Etiquette 19C Policy on Changes to Grading 21

C.1 Policy: Deadlines on Grade Change Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

D Teaching Philosophy 23E Important Dates 25

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1The University and Learning Context

1.1. University Curriculum Student Learning OutcomesStudents will be able to research, compile and present an assigned topic in the field of Modern Physics.

1.2. Goals of this CourseAs described in the SMU Undergraduate Course Catalog:

For science and engineering majors. Covers vector kinematics, Newtonian mechanics, gravi-tation, rotational motion, special relativity, and structure of matter.

The specific learning goals of this course are as follows. Upon successful completion of this course, stu-dents will be able to:

1. Explain why relativity and quantum mechanics and are needed to explain natural phenomena thatare central to the modern world;

2. Apply their understanding of relativity and quantum mechanics to a range of problems that occurin areas as diverse as medicine, communication and computation;

3. Demonstrate the basic understanding of relativity, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanicsrequired to pursue more advanced topics in each of these related areas.

1

2Specifics of this Course

2.1. Course Information

When/Where? The course is held in Fondren Science 158 on Tuesday and Thursday from12:30pm-01:50pm

Instructor Professor Stephen SekulaOffice: Fondren Science 39Phone: (214)-768-7832E-mail: sekula@physics.smu.eduFacebook: stephensekulaTwitter: drsekulaDiaspora*: stephensekula@social.cooleysekula.netGNU Social: steve@chirp.cooleysekula.netPump.io: steve@hub.polari.us

Office Hours Where: FOSC 39When:

• TBD

Cancellations of office hours, when unavoidable, will be announced by e-mail. If you cannot make office hours, which are open without appoint-ment, you need to schedule a separate time to meet with the instructor.It is your responsibility to do this. Please try to be courteous and requesta meeting in writing at least a day before your proposed meeting time toallow for scheduling.

Prerequisite(s) Prerequisite: PHYS 1304 or PHYS 1308

Textbook(s) REQUIRED: Harris, Randy "Modern Physics"

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4 2. Specifics of this Course

2.2. Course TopicsIn PHYS 3305 (Modern Physics), you will take the next big steps into the study of energy, matter, space,and time - the study of physics. The foundations you have explored in “Introductory Mechanics” and“Electricity and Magnetism” will be built upon in this course. This course is intended primarily forscience and engineering majors. In broad terms, we will cover special relativity; elements of quantumphysics; the structure of atoms, molecules and solids; nuclear physics; and elementary particles.

2.2.1. Approximate Sequence of TopicsWhile the exact details of the sequence of material will be produced and made available separately, andin much greater detail, here is a rough idea of the sequence of material in this course.

1. “Foundations I”

(a) Newtonian Mechanics

(b) Galilean Relativity

(c) Electricity and Magnetism

(d) Waves I

2. “Faster”

(a) The Speed of Light

(b) Revisiting Relativity

(c) Special Relativity

(d) Applications of Modern Relativity

3. “Foundations II”

(a) Heat Energy and the Laws of Thermodynamics

(b) Waves II

4. “Smaller”

(a) The Wave Nature of Radiation and Matter

(b) The Schroedinger Wave Equation and Quantum Mechanics

(c) Applications and Implications of Quantum Mechanics

5. Faster and Smaller: Applications of Special Relativity and Quantum Mechanics

(a) Atomic Theory

(b) Statistical Mechanics

(c) Nuclear Theory

(d) The Subatomic Universe

(e) Grand Challenge Solution Presentations

Roughly speaking, the first two subjects (“Foundations I” and “Faster”) will take up the first month ofthe course; the next two subjects (“Foundations II” and “Smaller”) will take up the second month of thecourse; the last section (“Faster and Smaller”) will take up the final month of the course. The first examwill cover “Foundations I” and “Faster”; the second exam will cover “Foundations II” and “Smaller”; thefinal exam will cover the subject matter of the last part of the course, “Faster and Smaller”.

2.3. Assessment Components 5

2.3. Assessment Components2.3.1. The Rhythm of the Course

Friday Weekend

Monday

TuesdayWednesday

ThursdayGOAL: complete≥50% of Home-work Assignment

QUIZ; CLASS

QUIZ; CLASS; HOME-WORK DUE; HOME-

WORK, READING,VIDEO ASSIGNED

GOAL: review newhomework, cate-gorize problems

GOAL: complete≥25% of Home-work Assignment

GOAL: addressspecific questions

at office hours

A typical week (excluding those with exams and weeks with official university holidays) should lookas follows:

1. Monday: you are finishing the reading and video lecture viewing assigned in the prior class period.You have taken notes on your reading and video lecture watching, with emphasis on key concepts,formulas and their meaning, and the implications of new ideas, as well as any means by which thekey ideas have been established (e.g. experiments). A quiz will be assigned online to assess yourabsorption of this material. Once you begin this quiz, you have 5 minutes to complete it (see Sec-tion 2.3.3). You will also continue working on homework assigned the previous Thursday. By now,you should have tried to complete all of the problems and succeeded in completing something like40-50% of them. You should have a list of concerns and questions to bring to office hours.

2. Tuesday: you come to class to engage in exercises, demonstrations of physical phenomena, anddemonstrations of problem solving, based on the reading and lecture video. You will work aloneand with peers to engage in classroom activities. You will have access to the instructor and teachingassistants to answer questions. You will be assigned further reading and lecture video material fornext class.

3. Wednesday: again, you should be finishing assigned reading and lecture viewing assigned on Tues-day, and taking the associated online quiz. You are also finishing up the homework assigned theprior Thursday. By this point, you should have completed at least 75% of the homework and beready to finish the remainder to hand in the next day. Your solutions (see Sections 2.3.4 and Ap-pendix A.1) should be nearly complete and ready for submission inr grading on Thursday morning.

4. Thursday: you come to class, submit your written solutions (this is usually done via Canvas), andengage in further exercises (as on Tuesday) focused on going more into the material from the read-ing and lecture video. New homework is assigned and due the following Thursday.

6 2. Specifics of this Course

5. Friday: you review the homework problems and note which ones you think will be straight-forwardfor you, based on reading, lecture videos, and class exercises; you also note the ones that mightgive you more trouble. Try working on the ones that look more approachable, with the goal ofcompleting up to 25% of the homework on Friday.

6. Weekend: use the weekend to review notes and class material and keep working on homework.Your goal is to get to the end of Monday with the sense that you’ve completed about half or moreof the homework.

7. Repeat. . .

During exam weeks, no homework is due in order to facilitate review and study (homework will bedue the week following the exam and will typically be longer as a result, so don’t procrastinate too much).

This is a 3-credit hour course, which means we have 3 contact hours during the week (class periods)and you are expected to work 6-9 hours outside of class to further your study for the course (this includesreading, lecture video, and homework, as well as any other studying you need to do). This is typical of aserious and rigorous university physics course at this level.

2.3.2. Attendance and ParticipationYour attendance in the class will be checked through the assignment of homework, your participationin quizzes, and through participation in classroom discussions and activities. Poor attendance will bereflected in your performance in the three areas. This course respects the University policies on excusedabsences; please see the relevant section below. Given the clear importance of attendance and partici-pation in classroom activities to your learning, it is assessed as part of your grade.

If you have an excused absence, either due to an event covered by University policies or by enrollment(e.g. you were not enrolled in the first week of class), the attendance/participation grade for that day willbe dropped automatically and will not count toward your final participation grade. Your two lowestparticipation/attendance grades are automatically dropped at the end of the course. Excused absencesNEVER count against you.

2.3.3. QuizzesThere will be pre-class quiz assigned in the 24 hours before the class period for which material is used.For instance, if reading and a lecture video are assigned on a Tuesday, then from Wednesday throughThursday (until the start of class) you can take the pre-class quiz on that material.

Quizzes are timed, and you must complete the quiz all at once and in the allotted time. The quiz is tobe taken alone, with no collaboration with anyone else. You can use notes or other resources from yourstudying of the reading and the video, but no one is to help you take the quiz. It is in your best interestto treat reading and video assignments as you would any standard lecture: take notes, review them, askquestions of peers or others before committing to take the quiz. Once you commit to taking the quiz,time is limited.

These quizzes will incrementally cover the reading and lecture video material assigned since the pre-vious class, but may also draw on experience with earlier topics. Your two lowest quiz grades will auto-matically be dropped. The assigned reading and lecture videos will be your primary means of studyingfor the quiz.

The results of your quizzes will be used to influence learning during the next class period. Quizzesare not a chance for you to impress the instructor, but rather the opposite: the instructor will use them

2.3. Assessment Components 7

to identify “learning hot spots” that need attention, and class time will be used, in part, to address those“hot spots.”

2.3.4. Homework

Figure 2.1: You’ll be tempted to wait to the last minute to start your homework. You’ll even be tempted to wait to the last minuteto write up what you’ve done. Then it comes to us, unstapled and half-crumpled with no name and the spelling and grammar ofa TwitterBot. You have been warned. Images are copyright Jorge Cham, and available at http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1319

Homework problems will be assigned in class.

• Homework will typically be assigned on a Thursday and due the following Thursday

– The lone exception to the above is the first day of class (a Tuesday), when homework will beassigned and due two days later.

Reduced credit (a maximum of 85% of the value of the assignment) will be given for late assignments,and no credit for missed assignments. An assignment is considered “late” if it is submitted even 1 second

8 2. Specifics of this Course

beyond the due date and time.1 A formal written materials policy appears in the appendix of this syllabus(Appendix A.1) .

2.3.5. ExamsThere will be a series of in-class exams throughout the semester. Please see the website of the course forthe specific dates. Those dates are fixed from the very beginning of the class, and the final exam periodis fixed by the University.

Exams generally assess your learning on the section of material since the previous examination (forexam 1, the starting point is the beginning of the class), but can certainly include prior material as thisclass builds upon what is established, as does all scientific learning. The final exam will generally focuson material since the previous in-class exam. Exams are to be taken alone, with no consultation by anymeans with any other individual. You are encouraged to ask the instructor or teaching assistants ques-tions during the exam, but we will not answer questions such as “Is this correct?” or “Can you tell mewhat to do next?” If you have a question of clarification of a word, phrase, or similar request, that is fine,but concepts and problem solving are up to you. You need to demonstrate to us the level of confidenceyou have in your own learning, and your ability to apply the material from the course. You may only useresources provided to you during the exam to help with the exam; you may be asked to bring your owncalculator and writing implement, but that is usually all you are allowed to have during an exam.

Cheating during examinations: I cannot emphasize enough that cheating during an exam will resultin expulsion from the exam room and an immediate “F” (score: 0%) on the exam, if not in the entirecourse (see Section 3.1 and Appendix A.1.3). In addition, your academic advisor will be contacted and anacademic violation will be filed against you.

To help you understand what it means to cheat, here are a few examples of exam cheating. This listis by no means comprehensive - faculty have seen many different means of attempting to cheat duringclasses - and so if you devise some other means to commit an academic violation we are likely to detectit and the punishment is the same. Here are some examples:

• Leaving your papers (e.g. solutions) out in the open where others can see them - you are facilitatingcheating when you do this, and are yourself guilty of cheating.

• Looking at another person’s work or calculator during the exam. Keep your eyes down and on yourown work at all times.

• Sharing a calculator with anyone in the class.

• Using any wireless communication device of any kind to interact with anyone at all during theexam.

• Using any other means of communication during class, such as passing messages in class or usingbathroom breaks to do so. We note bathroom breaks and use data science to assess patterns inthem, so beware of trying this.

• Bringing solutions or other reference material to use during the exam. (any non-approved materialused during an exam is grounds for failing the exam)

1The National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science do not accept funding proposal submissionsthat are beyond the deadline, even from brilliant scientists. I expect you to adopt the mentality that the deadline means something,because deadlines mean something. Meeting a deadline is a basic sign of respect for a colleague or co-worker.

2.3. Assessment Components 9

• Sending another person to class to take the exam for you, or using another person’s identity to takethe exam.

Figure 2.2: Before you ask your instructor, “Will this be on the test?”, think very, very, very carefully. Images are copyright JorgeCham, and is available at http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1875.

2.3.6. The Grand Challenge ProblemA culminating event of this semester will be the completion of a Grand Challenge problem. This is aphysics problem with no textbook solution. Rather, you will draw upon your own creativity, informed bythe principles of physics you learned in PHYS 1303/1307, 1304/1308, and most importanly what you arelearning in PHYS 3305, to address the question in as detailed a manner as possible. You will be gradedon:

• your incremental progress on developing answers to the question;

• the creativity, originality, or novelty of the ideas that lead to your final answers;

• your ability to investigate the ideas through physics calculations and supporting material;

• and the reliability and accuracy of your calculations.

This is not purely a storytelling exercise; rather, you will engage in a mathematical and physical exer-cise where the math speaks, and you will describe what it says. The Grand Challenge process and solutionwill be a significant component of your final grade.

The Grand Challenge will be a team exercise. You will be randomly assembled into teams at thebeginning of the semester. Your team will be expected to meet at least once a week outside of class todiscuss the Grand Challenge and, in particular, how what you have learned that week might be used toexplore a consequence of the theme of the Grand Challenge. Your team will meet with the instructorapproximately 3-4 times during the semester to formally present the state of your thinking about theGrand Challenge and to discuss progress on your solutions.

Reading and lecture video is how you are introduced to the physics concepts in this semester. Home-work is how you learn to begin exercising those concepts. Exams are there to make sure that you as an

10 2. Specifics of this Course

individual have mastered the basic concepts of the course. The Grand Challenge is how you demonstratethat, as a team and individually, you can explore new ideas and generate predictions using physics andmathematics.

While the grand challenge problem is a team activity, your contributions to the overall exercise willbe assessed using individualized presentations. Each member of the team will be assigned to presenton a single part of the overall project. The presentation assignments will be made in consultation withthe class instructor. This allows each student to be judged independently, while also judging the overallquality of the team’s work.

A separate and detailed explanation of the entire Grand Challenge exercise will be made available bythe instructor.

2.4. Grading

Your course grade is composed of the following pieces: attendance and participation (10%), quizzes toassess out-of-class learning of new material (5%), homework to assess basic mastery of material (15%),two in-class exams (15% each, for a total of 30%) to assess more comprehensive and incremental individ-ual mastery of material, a final exam (20%) to assess final synthesis of material, and the “grand challengeproblem” (20%).

Attendance and Participation

10%

Quizzes

5%

Homework

15%

In-Class Exams

30%

Final Exam

20%Grand Challenge Problem

20%

The grading scale used in this course is standard and that recommended for courses at SMU. For theranges, a “[“ or “]” indicates the adjacent number is included in the range, while a “(“ or “)” indicates theadjacent number is excluded from the range.

2.4. Grading 11

Name Range Interpretation Comments

A [94,100] Excellent ScholarshipFor all of these, you have done well in the

course and can proceed to the next stage. For

students who earn a grade in the C range,

speak with me at the end of the course to de-

velop a plan to address any deficiencies before

proceeding to the next course.

A- [90,94) Excellent ScholarshipB+ [87, 90) Good ScholarshipB [84,87) Good ScholarshipB- [80,84) Good ScholarshipC+ [77, 80) Fair ScholarshipC [74,77) Fair ScholarshipC- [70,74) Fair ScholarshipD+ [67, 70) Poor Scholarship These may prevent you from counting this

course toward your major/minor. Consult

your academic adviser.

D [64,67) Poor ScholarshipD- [61,64) Poor ScholarshipF [0,61) Fail You will have to re-take the course for certain.

See guidelines for first-year students and for

other students in University Course Catalog.

3University Policies

3.1. University Honor CodeThe student honor code1 can be found in the 2018-2019 student handbook2. All students will be ex-pected to adhere to it. Any student found conducting a violation of the honor code - academic sabotage,cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, or plagiarism - will at the very least earn a zerofor that work. In addition, a complaint will be filed through the Vice President for Student Affairs Of-fice. If you are uncertain of the definition of academic misconduct (especially plagiarism) as it regardsindependent works of mathematical and physical computation, documentation, and demonstration, itis your responsibility to speak with the instructor. Ignorance of the definition of plagiarism, or any otheracademic violations, is not considered a viable excuse to avoid penalties for these acts.

3.2. Disability AccommodationsStudents needing academic accommodations for a disability must first register with Disability Accom-modations & Success Strategies (DASS). Students can call 214-768-1470 or visit http://www.smu.edu/Provost/ALEC/DASS to begin the process. Once registered, students should then schedule an appoint-ment with the professor as early in the semester as possible, present a DASS Accommodation Letter,and make appropriate arrangements. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and requireadvance notice to implement.

3.3. University Policy on Religious ObservanceReligiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notifytheir professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and should discuss with them, in advance,acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence. (See University Policy No. 1.9.)

1http://www.smu.edu/StudentAffairs/StudentLife/StudentHandbook/HonorCode2http://www.smu.edu/StudentAffairs/StudentLife/StudentHandbook

13

14 3. University Policies

3.4. Excused Absences for University Extracurricular ActivitiesStudents participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular activity should begiven the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result oftheir participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor priorto any missed scheduled examination or other missed assignment for making up the work. (UniversityUndergraduate Catalogue)

AAppendix

A.1. Homework and Written Materials Policy“Written Material” refers to any document, electronic or hand-written, you submit to the instructor forassessment. This can include quizzes, homework, research papers, exams, and any other similar mate-rial, submitted in digital or analog formats.

Most of your homework will be handed in electronically through the WileyPLUS system. However,this course will test your ability to not only get the correct answer to a problem but also to demonstratethat you can correctly solve a problem and write clear, accurate solutions with all work shown. Thefollowing policy provides the strict guidelines covering any written material which you submit to theinstructor for grading (e.g. written solutions to homework, or any solutions written up for an in-classengaged exercise).

As in the humanities, communication in science relies on clear, well-defined standards that enablethe free flow of information between parties. My standards are designed with that free but structuredflow of information in mind. If you have concerns about any of the below requirements, please discussthem with me during open office hours or by appointment.

A.1.1. FormatAll written material submitted for grading must contain the following or will receive an automatic ZEROGRADE.

• Your full name

• The name of the current assignment (e.g. Homework 1, Reading Quiz 5, etc.)

• The date on which you handed in the material

• The title of each problem requested for submission (e.g. Problem 21.7, Problem SS-5, etc.) abovethe work associated with that problem.

All written material must have the following qualities, or will receive an automatic ZERO GRADE:

15

16 A. Appendix

• Writing must be legible. If the instructor/grader cannot read your work to determine your methodor approach, no partial credit can be assigned. A completely illegible assignment receives an au-tomatic zero (small print, messy handwriting, etc.). You are always free to type your assignmentusing Microsoft Word (Office365), Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, or a similar program.

• Writing must be coherent. Any written answer must be formatted with a clear sentence structure:subject, verb, and object. Writing must adhere to the guidelines of good English prose and Sci-entific Writing1: short, declarative sentences clearly explaining answers, ideas, etc. Flowery prosewill get you nowhere. Mathematical solutions must also be coherent. The equations should flowlike sentences, one building into the next with a clear path from your original equations to yourfinal solutions. Show as many steps in your work as you can – the smaller the steps, the more likelyyou are to spot mistakes quickly. If you provide insufficient steps to demonstrate how and why youwere able to solve the problem, we cannot give you full credit. Right answers without clear, math-ematical justification or written explanations will almost always receive low/no credit.

In addition, if you are required to digitize your written work and submit it electronically (e.g. upload toCanvas or a similar system), the following are required (if not met, the assignment receives an automaticZERO GRADE):

• Scans/photos of work must be good quality. Any digital image of written work needs to be brightenough to be read clearly on a screen. If a photo or scan of your assignment is hard for you toread on a screen (e.g. on your Laptop, iPad, etc.) then it will be even harder for us to read. Anydocument that is too faint, too dark, or has too poor contrast to be easily read, automatically failsthis requirement.

• Scans/photos of work must be in the correct orientation. Often during photographing, deviceslike phones and iPads will automatically rotate images. If you upload them, they appear in anorientation other than upright and easily readable. All images/scans must be in the upright orien-tation, or they fail this requirement.2

A.1.2. Solutions and AnswersThe formatting of good solutions is described further below, and examples are available on the web(https://www.physics.smu.edu/sekula/phys3305/GoodHomeworkExample.png). In addition to leg-ible and coherent solutions, the answers to solutions must have the following qualities in order to receivefull credit:

• Answers must be boxed: the final numerical or written answer to a problem must have a clear boxdrawn around it. This indicates your commitment to your solution and makes it clear to the graderwhat you intended as your final result. Failure to box your answer, even if it is correct, will result ina loss of credit.

1c.f. “The Scientist’s Guide to Writing: How to Write More Easily and Effectively throughout Your Scientific Career” by StephenB. Heard or “A Scientific Approach to Writing for Engineers and Scientists (IEEE PCS Professional Engineering CommunicationSeries)” by Robert E. Berger.

2While we do not make specific software recommendations to address the orientation issue, students have had excellent successwith the mobile app “CamScanner”. This take camera images and generates a PDF file with the correct orientation for Canvas.

A.1. Homework and Written Materials Policy 17

• Numerical answers must have the correct units: The importance of units cannot over over-emphasized.Satellites have crashed on Mars because somebody messed up units! Failure to put the correctunits, or any units at all (where units apply), next to your numerical answer will result in a loss ofcredit.

• Numerical answers must have the correct significant figures: Numbers have limitations; no num-ber derived from measurement can be known perfectly. Applying the rules of significant figuresteaches you this limitation. Therefore, please review the rules of significant figures (https://www.physics.smu.edu/sekula/phys3305/notes.html#Sigfigs) and apply those rules to your an-swers. Failure to apply these rules correctly will result in a loss of credit.

A.1.3. Academic HonestyYou are encouraged to work together to solve problems. However, you must also follow the basic guide-lines of academic ethics3. Please see the bullets below for some basic guidance on this, as well as forsome positive ways you can adhere to these guidelines.

• Written solutions to problems must be your own work, and not copied from anybody else. Whileyou are encouraged to collaborate to solve problems and learn from one another, copying eachothers’ work WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Any evidence of such behavior will result in proceedingsin accord with the University Honor Code.

• Numerical answers must be arrived at by your own work. If evidence is obtained that suggestsstudents in the class are sharing answers, steps will be taken in accord with the University HonorCode. Sharing of answers and failure to pursue your own solution, even based off collaboration ona problem, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

If you work together, please follow these simple guidelines to acknowledge your positive collaborationwith your peers:

• Write the names of your collaborators at the top of your submitted work. Acknowledging collab-oration is like citing sources in a research paper; it gives credit to those who help you and whomyou help, while asserting that the work submitted it still a product of your effort.

• If you have arrived at a solution as a group, separate from one another and each work the problemindependently to see that each member of the group can follow the approach and agrees that thisis the correct solution. This will also result in independent write-ups of the solution to a givenproblem.

3Here, I make an important side comment. Heed it well. I am very much aware of the existence of student and instructor solutionmanuals (published by the book publisher) and online, internet-based solution sites and forums (where students trade solutionsto problems from established physics textbooks). I make the following statements of caution regarding these resources. First,copying solutions from any such sources is a violation of the Academic Honor Code of this University. If caught, you are subjectto the same proceedings as apply to plagiarism. Second, my experience in using these resources to check my own solutions is thata fair amount of the time (maybe as high as 10%), the solutions are dead wrong. If you do not learn physics, you will fall prey tothe same trap that claims all people who forgo learning and critical thinking: the scam. Sites often charge money for access, andsolution manuals cost money, so caveat emptor... buyer beware. If you assume these solutions are all correct, you have alreadymade a serious error in judgment. Always... ALWAYS... check the claims of others using your own brain. Third, copying solutionsfrom third-parties means you have likely failed to learn this material, and this will be reflected in your exam scores... which form theMAJORITY of the points earned in this course. The summary: cheating has few upsides and a thousand downsides. Don’t cheat. It’sbetter to come to me and admit you are struggling with the material (after all, you’ve already paid for my help) than it is to sufferin silence and pay the price in your academic career.

18 A. Appendix

A.1.4. Advice for Writing Good SolutionsWriting solutions is like writing an essay - you have to convince the reader that you have understood thequestion, applied the correct assumptions, and then demonstrate your solution with sufficient detail todefend the answer. Here, I outline some recommendations for writing high-quality solutions. Apply-ing these guidelines will help you to focus your problem solving and communicate your understandingeffectively.

1. State and Justify Your Assumptions

• clearly state your assumptions and justify why you have chosen them. This will help youraudience determine whether you have understood the question(s) being asked.

• Critical Question: ask youself, after restating the problem statement and listing your assump-tions and justifications, “Does my restatement of the problem, my assumptions about facts inthe problem or needed to solve the problem, align with information given in this problem state-ment?”

2. Show Sufficient Work To Convince Your Audience You Understand the Process

• show enough intermediate steps that your audience is convinced you not only understandthe question, but that you understand how to answer the question. This includes showinghow you apply your assumptions, highlighting any mathematical or physical tricks needed tosimplify steps in the solution, and finally clearly showing the answer. In science, the process isthe most important means by which you demonstrate the correctness of the answer. Showingyour work clearly is the most important way to show that you understood the material.

• Critical Question: ask yourself, after writing up your work, the following question: “Does mysolution represent the kind of high-quality work that would be required to serve as a standardfor future students, or as a means to teach a peer how to solve the problem without having toask me questions?”

3. Comment on the Answer

• Always comment on the answer when asked. If you are not asked to comment on the answer,but you have observed something interesting about the solution, please make a comment.This helps demonstrate that you not only understand the question but deeply understandthe answer.

• Critical Question: at the end of your solution write-up, ask yourself this question: “Could a peer,given this write-up, understand the meaning and implications of the question and the answerto the question?”

BProfessional Etiquette

The following rules apply to my classroom and beyond:

• You can use electronic devices during class if they are for supporting your learning (looking upinformation, participating in polls, performing calculations, etc.). If electronic devices are usedinstead to distract yourself or others (e.g. by engaging primarily in social media, shopping, etc.)then the teaching assistants are empowered to inform me; your participation for that class will benullified and count as an unexcused absence. This is to help you learn that you must rule thesedevices; they must not be allowed to rule you.

• The time before class begins and after class ends is reserved for management of the class. Forexample, preparation for a physics class (during the time between class periods) requires the setupor disassembly of technology and equipment. Instructors are not to be bothered during this time;if you need to have a discussion, make an appointment (request in writing). The instructor reservesthe right to change this policy on a period-by-period basis if class setup or clean up is concludedpromptly.

• If you intend to speak with the instructor as a “drop-in appointment,” the only appropriate time todo this is during open office hours. An open office door is not an invitation for you to walk in andinterrupt the ongoing research work of the instructor. If you would like to speak with the instructoroutside of open office hours or an appointment, and intend to do so by dropping by their office,you should (a) knock on the door or door jamb, (b) wait for the instructor to acknowledge you, and(c) begin by asking, “Is this a good time to talk?” If the answer is “no,” ask for an appointment orsend a written request. An open office door is not the same as an open invitation to drop in. Do notlinger awkwardly outside an office door; that can be distracting. If a meeting is already in progressin the instructor’s office, do not disturb it.

• Being on-time is a key professional courtesy. This applies to showing up for class (arriving beforeclass starts, leaving only after the official end of class time). This also applies to appointments withinstructors. Do not arrive earlier than 1-2 minutes before an appointment begins. If you are 10minutes (or more) late for an appointment, the appointment is automatically cancelled and mustbe rescheduled in writing.

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20 B. Professional Etiquette

• Do not use class time to engage with the instructor in conversation about homework, exams, orgrades. Classroom time is for beginning to learn how to handle the basics of a new subject. Do notdistract yourself or the instructors with other activities. For instance, it is inappropriate to use classtime to ask the instructor questions like,

– “Why did I lose points on X?”

– “Can you explain the grading on problem Y?”

– “Can we discuss my last test right now?”

These topics are correctly discussed during an appointment. All such requests must be made inwriting.

• We enjoy a friendly, engaging, and open classroom. Questions and discussion are welcome. How-ever, in order to serve the larger goal of making sure all participating students have a chance toengage in the activities of the day, discussion and questions may be curtailed. For instance, stu-dents who find themselves asking a lot of questions or raising a lot of discussion items should askthemselves the following: “How important is this question or point and is it of generally broad in-terest to most of the students in the room?” If you are not sure, write the question down and makean appointment to discuss it with the instructor. A class is a balancing act between open inquiryand structured learning. Please respect that process.

CPolicy on Changes to Grading

You are free to challenge the grade you have received on a problem or on an assignment. These challengesmust be presented in writing to the course instructor so that they can be discussed during an officehour. However, any additional student mistakes identified during the review of the grading will resultin additional lost points consistent with those mistakes. Just as in the review of any professional work,you therefore stand to potentially gain or lose during the process of a formal review.

C.1. Policy: Deadlines on Grade Change Requests• The deadline to submit a challenge to the grading on an assignment is within 5 business days after

the grade is posted.

• For the last assignment(s) of the semester (those due in the final week of the course), the deadlineis 5 business days after the grade is posted or by the end of business on the reading day before finalexams begins, whichever comes first.

By University policy, final course grades are due 72 hours after the end of the final exam. If you wishto challenge your final grade, you must do so in accordance with University policies1.

1SMU Undegraduate Catalog, “Enrollment and Academic Records,” “Grade Appeals” https://catalog.smu.edu/content.php?catoid=33&navoid=2417

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DTeaching Philosophy

Learning happens most efficiently when students grapple with a subject, especially an unfamiliar one.Learning is achieved primarily through intellectual struggle. The instructor’s job is to present ideas andprovide structure for that learning to occur; for individually addressing student-specific issues regardinglearning methodologies and strategies; and assessing the student learning from a perspective of what isexpected in the field of practice. Ultimately, the student is the person most responsible for the learningprocess (after all, it’s their brain).

In accordance with the above philosophy, the following statements are true about the components ofthis course:

• Attendance and Participation: This is the bare minimum expected of all students (in service of yourlearning). You are expected to attend class periods and participate in learning activities. Doing wellon this means you are executing the bare minimum.

• Quizzes: These are meant to check your progess on the next-to-minimum activity expected of allstudents (in service of your learning): to read assigned text and watch assigned lecture videos, takenotes in a format appropriate to your learning process, and to use those notes to answer questionsabout the most basic ideas of the course. Quizzes cannot and do not assess your ability to solveproblems using ideas; rather, they assess your basic understanding of the ideas themselves and seeif you have grasped a concept forward and backward. Doing well on the quizzes only means thatyou are keeping up with assigned reading and lectures and curating good notes to which you canrefer, as well as beginning to understand the basic concepts of the course.

• Homework: These are meant to give you your first foray, as individuals or in small working groups,into problem solving by synthesizing the physics concepts with the language of mathematics. Do-ing well on the homework means you are beginning to master the skills needed to combine physicsand math to solve problems in the natural world. Your ability to deliver these by the given deadlineis practice in meeting the deadlines that will be present in your future career. Repeatedly failing tomeet deadlines on the homework is a red flag regarding your learning structure and plan.

• Exams: These are meant to assess your individual level of mastery of the subjects in the course,with the understanding that the time pressure of an exam adds a new dimension to the learning

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24 D. Teaching Philosophy

process that is not present in the homework. Exams, and your performance on the exams, tellsme about your synthesis of material and your ability to execute on the use the physics ideas in thecourse in combination with mathematics.

The following metaphor will suffice to put in context the pieces of the course. Throughout this course,you are building an intellectual house. Attendance and participation means that you show up to workevery day, but it doesn’t tell me that you’re building anything. Doing well on the quizzes is equivalentto putting down the foundation of the house ("foundational learning"); it points to the strength of thebase but doesn’t tell me about the quality of the fully constructed house. Doing well on the homework("structural learning") is equivalent to installing the electrical wiring and the plumbing and putting upthe wooden framing; it’s absolutely necessary for what happens next, but by itself is not fully telling of thefinal intellectual product. The exams are the rooms in the house ("total learning"), each building uponthe last. The final exam is an evaluation of the whole house.

Even if you do well on exams, a weak foundation weakens the whole house. If you do well on quizzesand attendance, your foundation is in good shape but poor performance on exams means that what isbuilt upon the foundation is unreliable. Doing well on the homework means the backbones of the houseare in good shape, but if poor performance still happens on exams then your technique for translatingfoundational and structural learning into demonstration of total learning is ineffective, and needs work.

Weakness on any component is a reason to speak with the instructor, and sooner is better than later.

EImportant Dates

Below I have selected some of the more relevant dates for this term. They come from the official Univer-sity Calendar1, but are by no means a reliable replacement for the actual university calendar, which maybe amended in some way since this syllabus was written. Always refer to the real University AcademicCalendar.

• August 26, Monday: First day of classes.

• August 30, Friday: Last day to enroll, add a course, or drop a course without tuition billing whileremaining enrolled for the term. Last day to file for graduation in December.

• September 2, Monday: Labor Day. University offices closed.

• September 9, Monday: Last day to drop a course without academic record (tuition charges apply).Last day to withdraw from the university without academic record (withdrawal refund scheduleapplies). See Bursars website for more information.

• September 11, Wednesday: Last day to declare pass/fail or no credit grading options. Last day torequest an excused absence for the observance of a religious holiday.

• October 4-5, Friday-Saturday: Family Weekend

• October 14-15, MondayTuesday: Fall Break.

• November 8, Friday: Last day to drop a course (grade of W).

• November 8-9, Friday-Saturday: Homecoming Weekend

• November 26, Tuesday: Last day to withdraw from the University.

• November 27, Wednesday: No classes.

• November 2829, ThursdayFriday: Thanksgiving holiday. University offices closed.

1https://www.smu.edu/EnrollmentServices/Registrar/AcademicCalendarsCourseCatalogs/AcademicCalendars/Calendar19-20

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26 E. Important Dates

• December 9, Monday: Last day of classes.

• December 10-11, Tuesday-Wednesday: Reading days.

• December 12-18, ThursdayWednesday: Examinations. (No examinations scheduled for Sunday).